Shocking Hasselbaink Statement & Millwall Change

These two topics have absolutely no connection mind, let me make that abundantly clear from the off!

First up, following Millwall making it into the southern area final of the JPT this means a change to the scheduled League 1 meeting in the New Year.

Vale were due to go to the Den on Saturday 16th January but with the Lions now facing a JPT tie with Oxford (for a place in the grand final) this has been put back 24-hours to Sunday 17th January but this will still be a 3pm kick-off.

Now to the shocking claims made by (outgoing, if he sells the club as he’s aiming to) chairman and owner Norman Smurthwaite about Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

Former Leeds, Chelsea, Middlesbrough and Dutch international Hasselbaink, who recent left Burton for QPR, wasn’t offered the Vale job due to concerns over racist abuse he could have suffered at Vale Park according to Smurthwaite.

Smurthwaite has claimed in the Mirror this week that he could have become the Valiants boss in 2013 had it not been for his ‘concerns.’

‘I didn’t take him because of the racial issue the club had got. I didn’t think it was fair on him. Can you imagine the poor bloke getting abuse, along with the normal abuse if results were going against him?

‘He would have been right for the club without doubt but I don’t think the club would have been right for him. Ninety-nine per cent of our fans are excellent but a small minority leave us with policing and other issues.’

The 55-year-old isn’t afraid to say what he feels but, unsurprisingly, these shocking claims have been challenge.

Port Vale’s supporters’ club chairwoman Ally Simcock, with this response quoted in the Metro, wasn’t happy and as much as she conceded to problems in the past, said.

‘I’m shocked with what he has said. I think the club has had issues with racism, but I don’t believe they were any worse than at any other football club.

‘There have been a minority of fans intent on causing problems and race, as well as other discrimination, has been brought into it, but I don’t think having a black manager at the club would have been wrong.’